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Adapted PE- Adapted Physical Education Resources

Adapted Physical Education National Standards

National Center on Health, Physical Activity, and Disability

PE Central- Parent Link

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Adapted Physical Education (APE) is an alternative physical education program that involves modifications and/or accommodation for students within the regular physical education program. Adapted PE programs are usually provided directly in the general education PE class.  If you have questions about APE, please contact your child’s case manager.

Schools must provide physical education opportunities for students with disabilities that promote the following:

• Development of physical and motor skills
• Development of fundamental motor skills and patterns (throwing, catching, walking, etc.)
• Skills in aquatics, dance, and individual and group games and sports 

District 25 currently has one  full-time APE teacher whose responsibilities include the following:

• Screening students following parent or teacher concerns with PE participation
• Completion of evaluations for eligibility, as part of the IEP process
• Provision of service in both pull-out and collaborative service models
• Provision of technical support to staff regarding student needs and adaptive methods
• Provision of APE classes to students in the Communications and Foundations classes to pre-teach skills
• Supervision of two full-time APE teaching assistants

APE services during the general education PE class allow for:

Active Participation: Students participate in the class activities with their peers at a challenging yet comfortable level according to their abilities. While participating in the general P.E. class the students’ opportunities for participation and repetition will be increased with the support of the A.P.E. staff by specific instruction, visual materials, and adapted equipment.

Safe environment: The APE staff and PE instructors are aware of activities that may pose an uncomfortable situation due to the nature of the students’ abilities. We will present the student opportunities to feel comfortable and confident that their safety will be ensured..

Adaptations as needed to the equipment and class: Adaptations and modifications to equipment, rules of the games, and class requirements are determined and made specifically to their needs in P.E. class.

The PE class generally includes:

• Warm-ups: The students work to increase endurance and strength in the following areas: cardio, arm, abdomen, and leg muscles.

• Class games: The students focus on their understanding of the sequencing of the games, following instructions, understanding the objectives of the games, and have opportunities for sportsmanship.

Fitness testing: The students work on developing correct form and endurance to perform sit-ups, push-ups, running, and jumping skills. (The middle schools will be using the Presidential Fitness Testing and South weight room.)

School nurses may provide specific health services to enable a student with a disability to receive a free, appropriate public education, as described in the child's IEP. These services go beyond those health services available to all students in District 25.

Some examples of health services that may be provided through a student’s IEP or 504 plan include:

• Evaluation of medical needs for school-based services
• Special feedings
• Clean intermittent catheterization
• Suctioning
• Management of tracheostomy
• Administering and/or dispensing medications
• Planning for school-based safety needs
• Ensuring that care is given while at school and at school functions to prevent injury (e.g., changing a child’s position frequently to prevent pressure sores)
• Chronic disease management
• Oversight of classroom accommodations
• Educating students on self-management of health needs

For more information, visit  District 25's Health Services main page. 

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ISBE Information on OT Services

American Occupational Therapy Association

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Occupational Therapy (OT) is designed to help students participate in desired daily life activities or “occupations.” In the schools, occupational therapists use their unique expertise to help children to be prepared for and perform important learning and school related activities and to fulfill their role as students.

OT services are intended to improve a student’s ability to function in his/her educational program and may include the following:

• Self-help skills or adaptive living, such as eating and dressing
• Functional mobility, such as moving safely through school
• Positioning, such as sitting appropriately in class
• Sensory-motor processing, such as using the senses and muscles
• Fine motor performance, such as writing and cutting
• Gross motor performance, such as walking and athletic skills
• Life skills training/vocational skills
• Psychosocial adaptation 

District 25 currently has seven occupational therapists supporting students across the District.  Their duties include:

• Completion of evaluations as part of the IEP process
• Provision of therapy in pull-out and collaborative service models
• Provision of technical support staff regarding student needs, such as sensory diets, assistive technology, and adaptive methods
• Provision of input and consultation at RtI meetings

Occupational therapy services for students with special needs are determined through the IEP process. School-based occupational therapy is available for students who are eligible for special education services. Occupational therapists complete assessments and work with other members of the school-based team to help determine what is needed for a student to receive a free appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment. They collaborate with other members of the education team to identify a student’s annual goals and determine the services, supports, modifications, and accommodations that are required for the student to achieve these goals. When the IEP team determines that occupational therapy is needed for a student in order to meet his or her annual goals, then occupational therapy should be included in the student’s IEP.

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Physical Therapy and IDEA

Physical Therapy in the School Setting

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School-based physical therapists work as part of the educational team to assist the student in benefiting from their educational program.  This includes the ability to move safely throughout the school environment, maintain sitting and standing postures, and participate in various motor activities at school.

Physical therapy services in the school may include:

• Exercise to improve range of motion, strength, endurance, balance, coordination
• Activities to facilitate gross motor development
• Gait and stair training
• Transfer training
• Wheelchair management
• Adaptive equipment to increase independence with school activities
• Modifications to school environment
• Consultation with school staff, parents and medical personnel

District 25 currently has four physical therapists that serve students in the following ways:

• Completion of evaluations as part of the IEP process
• Provision of therapy in pull-out and collaborative service models
• Provision of technical support staff regarding student needs, such as safe access to buildings and play surfaces, classroom seating/positioning, and physical participation in school tasks
• Provision of input and consultation at RtI meetings

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National Association of School Psychologists

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School psychologists are knowledgeable about child development, mental health, education, and learning.  Their training allows them to provide a broad range of services within schools.  Through collaboration with teachers, parents, and other professionals, school psychologists work toward meeting the individual socio-emotional and academic needs of each student.  School psychologists are active participants on support teams that use a Response to Intervention (RtI) framework to identify areas of concern, collect and analyze relevant information, and develop strategies and interventions to help all students be successful.

Psychological services include the following:

Consultation

• Collaborate with teachers, parents, administrators, and other professionals to identify students in need of support services.
• Assist with effective interventions to enhance learning.
• Strengthen home-school partnerships.     

Evaluation

• Assist in conducting school-wide screenings to identify students at risk for academic difficulties.
• Evaluate students for entitlement to special education services.
• Examine the impact of various factors on learning and behavior.

Prevention

• Work with a team of professionals to design programs for groups of students who may be at risk for academic or behavioral difficulties.
• Promote a positive learning environment by sharing knowledge of programs that will benefit all students (e.g. classroom management strategies).

Intervention

• Work directly with teachers and families to design strategies to improve student performance.
• Develop clear student goals and evaluate progress toward goal attainment.
• Help manage crises at school related to illness, death, community trauma, or student behavior that may be dangerous.

Data-Based Decision-Making and Accountability

• Use data to identify students’ strengths and needs, and to measure progress toward academic or behavioral goals.
• Use multiple sources of data to define problems and inform instruction.
• Observe students in a variety of settings to help make instructional recommendations.

District 25 currently has eleven school psychologists supporting students across the district, through the following:

• Completion of case study evaluations and re-evaluations
• Participation in problem-solving and Response to Intervention
• Consultation with both general and special education staff
• Facilitating universal screenings
• Data collection via classroom observations
• Crisis interventions
• Management of 504 plans

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Illinois Social-Emotional Learning Standards

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School social workers work with students to support their social emotional and behavioral needs within the school setting, when there is an adverse impact on educational functioning.  

Social work services in schools include the following:

• Individual and small group sessions to address social-emotional needs
• Preventative, classroom-based instruction to support student needs
• Partnering with school and community resources to provide support within the school environment
• Assisting in development of positive intervention plans and strategy implementation
• Assessment through observation, standardized assessment, and interviews
• Preparing a social or developmental history on a child with a disability 

District 25 currently has 16 school social workers supporting students across the district. Each elementary building, as well as the Early Childhood program, is supported by a full-time social worker.  Each middle school has at least 2.5 social workers providing support to students. Social workers support students in the following ways:

• Providing direct services to students as indicated on their IEPs
• Participating in student evaluations for special education/IEPs, 504s, and interventions
• Providing individual, group, and classroom group instruction
• Progress monitor services and evaluate the effectiveness of the services
• Providing social-emotional learning curriculum as identified by the district, such as Second Step, Erin’s Law, suicide/depression awareness
• Consultation with general and special education staff regarding social-emotional, behavioral, and academic concerns
• Counseling with parents regarding student needs
• Counseling as determined by the Alternatives to Suspension contracts
• Implementation of Response to Intervention supports
• Provision of crisis and behavioral interventions
• Suicide and DCFS referrals and assessments
• Referrals to and coordination with outside agencies
• Identification of homeless students and provision of services for them
• Development of Behavior Intervention Plans
• Provide professional development as directed
• Provision of short-term supports to students who do not currently receive special education services through need-specific groups (i.e. divorce or grief supports)

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American Speech Hearing Services

FAQ on Speech Services in Schools

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Speech-Language Pathology services are provided by speech-language pathologists to address the needs of students with disabilities that affect speech and/or language skills. Students may receive speech-language services as a primary service (under a “speech-only” IEP) or as a related service. Students are eligible to receive speech-language services when they demonstrate a disability that impacts educational functioning.

Speech and language services include the following:

• Screening, evaluation, and diagnosis of children with speech and/or language impairments
• Provision of speech and language services
• Counseling and guidance for parents, children, and teachers regarding speech impairments
• Consultation with private providers to support students within the public school setting

District 25 currently has 22 speech speech-language pathologists supporting students in early childhood through 8th grade, with an additional three therapists providing supports to students in local parochial schools. Their responsibilities may include:

• Screen and evaluate students for speech-language needs
• Provide speech-language therapy as a primary or related service, per a student’s IEP
• Provide services via a variety of service delivery models, including consultation, push-in, pull-out, and whole-group instruction
• Consult with teachers regarding student referrals and in-class therapeutic supports
• Provide technical support to staff for students with specific needs, such as assistive technology
• Participate in problem solving
• Provide consultation, assessment, and therapeutic interventions as a component of Response to Intervention
• Manage student 504 plans as needed
• Attend school and department meetings
• Participate in and provide staff development activities

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D25 Special Education Transportation Information

ISBE Special Transportation Handbook

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Some students may be eligible to receive special transportation to and from school as a related service, per their IEP. Students are typically eligible for special transportation if:

• The student attends a special education program that is not located at his/her school
• Due to his/her disability, he/she would be unable to get to school independently in an age-appropriate manner. Although not exhaustive, examples of disabilities that might prevent a student from getting to school independently include cognitive impairments, autism, and/or physical impairments that impact a student's gross motor skills/ability to ride the bus.
• The student is attending the Distirct's Early Childhood program as a special education student.

District 25 currently uses taxi cabs to transport students who require specialized transportation beyond what can be accommodated on a school bus. For more information on special transportation, please contact Laura Comastro at (847) 758-4888 or lcomastro@sd25.org. Please also view the District's FAQ on special education transportation, located under "Links."